UH President Renu Khator Receives 2014 NASPA President’s Award

University of Houston President Renu Khator is the recipient of the 2014 President’s Award from NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. According to NASPA, the award gives special recognition to a college or university president who has, over a sustained period of time, advanced the quality of student life on campus by supporting student affairs staff and programs. Khator received the honor this week at the 2014 NASPA Annual Conference in Baltimore, Md.

“Since Student Success is our top priority at the University of Houston, I am especially gratified to be recognized by an illustrious organization made up of Student Affairs professionals,” said Khator. “This award is really a tribute to the dedication and hard work of our faculty and staff, who help our students shape their future and achieve their goals. The NASPA honor is another wonderful reminder of that.”

In choosing Khator for this annual award, NASPA pointed to Khator’s many initiatives to enhance student and residential life on campus including championing the $80 million renovation to the University Center and increasing the number of students who live on campus by 4,000 students since she assumed the duel post of UH president and chancellor of the UH System in 2008. Khator has also led efforts to improve customer service on campus and is actively engaged with student government leaders, whom she meets with each month.

“President Khator firmly believes in the role that students and student affairs staff play in guiding and improving programs and services within the Division of Student Affairs and throughout the institution. She supports an environment of innovation and creativity in meeting the needs of students,” said Richard Walker, vice chancellor for student affairs at UH.

Each semester, Khator visits with more than 9,000 students in their classes. She is active on Twitter, with almost 12,000 followers—many of them students. Khator took to Twitter to thank UH students for the award.